Villa San Giovanni between Coast and History

Villa San Giovanni combines religious history, Art Nouveau and maritime themes with a coastal landscape on the Strait of Messina. Points of interest include churches, monuments, a museum, as well as Punta Pezzo and Cannitello Beach.

Port and Railway Station as Points of Arrival

The port of Villa San Giovanni is the most important sea link between Calabria and Sicily. The ferries carry passengers, road vehicles and railway trains. The port is also directly connected to the railway station.

Churches and Religious History

The first Church of the Immaculate Conception already existed in the former district of Fossa. In 1692, it was visited by the Archbishop of Reggio, Martino Ybañez y Villanueva. The present, larger Church of the Immaculate Conception was built in the Neo-Romanesque style based on a design by the architect Pietro De Nava and consecrated on 8 December 1929. In the centre of Villa San Giovanni, the Church of the Immaculate Conception is also one of the monuments that survived the 1908 earthquake and the subsequent earthquakes.

The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary was completed in the early 1960s and has a long tradition of veneration of the Madonna del Rosario. The Sanctuary of Maria Santissima delle Grazie is located in Punta Pezzo, a district of Villa San Giovanni. Its main feast is held on 2 July.

The Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian also reflects the development of the town: it was approved in 1742 for the new settlement south of Fossa. After being destroyed by the earthquake of 1783, it was rebuilt in 1811; the present bell tower dates from this period.

Museum and Architectural Heritage

The Museo naturalistico antropologico di Villa San Giovanni was founded in 2002, reopened in 2005 and is housed in the Art Nouveau Palazzo Arena. It focuses on the geological, marine, coastal and anthropological features of the Strait of Messina.

In the Centre: Art Nouveau, Monuments and Remembrance

A walk through the centre of Villa San Giovanni offers the opportunity to see Art Nouveau buildings and monuments. The Old Fountain is one of the Art Nouveau monuments in the centre. The Garibaldi statue is a work by the local sculptor Rocco Larussa.

The war memorial of Villa San Giovanni, dating from 1925, bears a high relief of the winged goddess of victory. Its inscriptions bear the names of 30 fallen soldiers of the First World War and 27 fallen soldiers of the Second World War.

The Strait of Messina and the Coast

Torre Cavallo was built around 1559. The 16th-century watchtower is part of the defence system of the Strait of Messina.

Punta Pezzo is considered the point where the Calabrian and Sicilian coasts are closest to each other. The place is also associated with the Fata Morgana effect: through upside-down objects, the two coasts may appear to be connected. Villa San Giovanni is also home to Cannitello Beach.

More Destinations

More destinations for planning your trip to Italy: Cittanova, Bovalino Marina, San Roberto, Siderno, Palmi, Martone, Bocale, Pellaro

To the higher-level travel overview: Reggio Calabria.